Sweet • Sour • Savory

Food blog on scandinavian style food done right.

Coffee Baileys Float

Beverages, DessertsTove Balle-PedersenComment
Coffee Baileys Float

Coffee Baileys Float

Having made the Cupid Float the other day, I needed a not so sweet option, a more adult option. I do love coffee and Baileys. So why not combine the two into a cold coffee Baileys with some ice cream or a cold affogato. 
So if you need an easy dessert, not having to slave in the kitchen, this is the perfect option. If you do not like coffee, you can substitute the coffee with your favorite chocolate milk, and even switch out the Baileys with a splash of cognac. The possibilities are endless. 

Adult floats makes great desserts.

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 scoops vanilla ice cream 
  • 2 espresso, cold, or strong brewed coffee
  • Baileys Irish cream, just a little splash
  • whipped cream
  • chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

Scoop ice cream into a tall glass, pour the cold espresso over the ice cream, add a splash of Baileys. Top the drink with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Cupid Float

Beverages, DessertsTove Balle-PedersenComment
Cupid Floats

Cupid Floats

Floats are a big thing here in the US. We had floats in Denmark too. I remember having raspberry soda floats at birthday parties, growing up. We might not have had a name for it, but they were a part of our life.

We rarely celebrate Valentines Day, because my husbands birthday is the day before, and how much celebration can one muster 😉 

Ingredients:

  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Cherry 7-Up
  • Whipped cream
  • Sprinkles

Directions:

Scoop the ice cream into a tall glass, slowly pour 7-Up over ice cream and top with whipped cream and sprinkles.
Enjoy the cupid float with your special somebody!

Mazarin Cupcakes

Brunch, Cake, Desserts, Frostings & FillingsTove Balle-Pedersen1 Comment
Mazarin Cupcakes

Mazarin Cupcakes

Mazarin cake is yet another Danish classic. I made a similar cake before, but this ones is a quick take on the Mazarin Cake. Instead of making one big cake, I opted for the smaller cupcake, in perfect serving size.
A classic Mazarin cake is covered in chocolate. By icing the small cupcakes with a ganache, I didn't have to temper the chocolate, and I got a bolder chocolate flavor, and a delicious creaminess. 

Makes 10-12.

Ingredients:

  • 150 g butter, salted and room temperature
  • 150 g sugar
  • 150 marzipan, grated
  • 2 eggs
  • 75 g all-purpose flour

Ganache:

  • 150 g dark chocolate (I used Valrhona)
  • 150 ml heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven for 355℉ (180℃). 

Butter a cupcake pan. Line the bottom with some parchment paper, this will prevent the cupcakes from sticking. You can also use parchment paper cups. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, mix in the grated marzipan, making sure the mixture again gets light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix just until fully incorporated. 

Sift flour and baking powder into the mixture, and gently fold it in.

Fill the the cups ¾ and bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ganache:

Chop the chocolate finely, and put in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy whipping cream to a boil, and pour the hot cream into the center of the bowl with thew chocolate. Whisk vigorously until the mixture become cohesive and shinny. Let the ganache chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. 

Transfer the ganache to a piping bag with a large star tip. Pipe good amount on top of each cupcake, and add sprinkle.

Enjoy!

Fastelavnsboller - Choux Pastry

Cake, Desserts, HolidayTove Balle-PedersenComment
Fastelavnsboller - Choux Pastry

Fastelavnsboller - Choux Pastry

Fastelavnsboller can be very different things. It can be a sweet roll filled with marzipan and a custard, it can be a puff pastry cake, a custard filled Marie bun or as here a puff pastry with different fillings. 

Here I have used 3 different fillings. 

  • Pink: Whipped cream mixed with some powdered sugar and fresh raspberries.

  • Orange: A passionfruit curd mixed with whipped cream.

  • Blue: custard and whipped cream.

I tend to use less sweet fillings, because I use iced pastry, but feel free to use your own favorites. I think a mocca mousse or chocolate mousse could be good too.

Fastelavn is a similar tradition as the American Halloween if you add some kind of piñata in the form of  barrel.  Children get dressed up, and go a kinda trick and treating in the early afternoon. You can read more about the Danish fastelavns traditions here.

Makes 12-16.

Ingredients:

Vanilla custard:

  • 3 egg yolks

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 2,5 dl milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste

  • heavy whipping cream, whipped

Cream puff (choux pastry):

  • 300 ml water

  • 150 g butter, salted

  • 175 g all-purpose flour

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1 pinch baking powder

  • 4 eggs

Icing:

  • confectionary sugar (powdered sugar)

  • water, hot

  • food coloring

Directions:

Vanilla custard:

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale in color. Whisk in the cornstarch and vanilla paste.

Heat the milk to a slow boil, set aside. 

While whisking vigorously drizzle the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture, just a tiny bit at a time at first. Once you’ve added about ¼ of the milk, you can add the rest in a thin steady stream, whisking constantly.

Pour the mixture back in the saucepan and reheat it over medium heat. Whisk constantly until it starts to boil and is thickened. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl.  Sprinkle with sugar or press some plastic wrap against the custard so it won't form a pudding skin. Chill the custard completely in the refrigerator.

When the custard is cold, whip the heavy whipping cream. Fold the whipped cream in the custard a little at a time till you get the desired taste and texture. 

Cream puff (choux pastry):

Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Put water and butter in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. In a bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt. When the butter is all melted add all the flour at once, and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. Lower the heat and keep stirring until a dough is formed and it pulls away from the sides of the pan and is slightly shiny. 

Keep beating the dough with the wooden spoon until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes.  

Beat all the eggs in a bowl. Add a little of the beaten eggs, incorporating it thoroughly before adding more. Add the egg in small amounts until you have a thick paste but not runny at all.

Scoop or pipe the 24 dough (golf ball-sized) onto the parchment paper lined baking sheets. If you have small tips on the puffs anyway, dab the tops of each puff with a fingertip dipped in water to smoothen the tops.

Bake the puffs for 18-20 minutes, until they are puffed up and golden brown.

DO NOT open the oven while baking the choux pastry, it will cause them to deflate.

Let the puffs cool on a wire rack. Ice the buns with some colorful icing.

Cut the buns in half and fill it with prepared vanilla custard and some whipped cream. Serve with a nice cup of coffee or tea. 

Enjoy!

 

 

Potato Leek Soup

Dinner, SoupTove Balle-PedersenComment
Potato Leek Soup.

Potato Leek Soup.

This soup is a classic in many countries. It's a good hearty everyday soup, that will heat you up and fill you up without robbing your wallet. And I love that this soup is easy to make, dinner is ready under 45 minutes.

Serve the soup with a cheesy dinner roll.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

Soup:

  • 850 g potatoes, peeled and diced

  • 3-4 leeks, rinsed and sliced thinly. Save a little for garnish

  • 20 g butter

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1200 ml stock, vegetable or chicken

  • 1½ dl (little over ½ cup) heavy whipping cream

  • salt & pepper to taste

  • lemon juice to taste

Toppings:

  • bacon

  • leeks

  • parsley

Directions:

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan. Add leeks, garlic and potatoes, cook them for 5-7 minutes, until potatoes begin to soften. Do not let the potatoes get browned. Add the stock in bring it to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Puree soup in batches in a blender* until smooth, and return to saucepan. 

Add the cream and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Serve the hot soup with the toppings.

Enjoy!

* Be careful when working with hot soup in a blender.  If you need a new blender, consider a Vitamix. They are expensive, but they are worth all the money. They can liquefy almost anything and makes soup and margaritas so smooth and creamy. But the best part, you can blend hot soups without having to clean the soup of all your kitchen cabinets afterwards. Just saying. ;)